Queen Victoria statue attacked during Jacob Zuma's UK trip

A statue of Queen Victoria was daubed in graffiti in Port Elizabeth a day after president Jacob Zuma hit out at the UK media claiming the British viewed Africans as "barbaric".

The statue of Queen Victoria (1903), that stands in front of the library in Port Elizabeth, is vandalizedPhoto: GETTY

By Ian Evans in Cape Town

5:04PM GMT 09 Mar 2010

The statue which was erected in front of the city's main library in 1903, was attacked last Thursday night when vandals painted slogans on the marble base and also daubed the monarch's eyes black.

According to the Afrikaans paper Die Burger, the marble base was spray-painted with "Goduka Europe" which means go home in the local Xhosa dialect, "Go away".

Port Elizabeth which is also known as the Friendly City is the largest city in the Eastern Cape which is the spiritual heartland of the dominant Xhosa people in South Africa. Although Zuma is a Zulu, the two groups have close cultural links.

A spokesperson for the local council Kupido Baron said: "It happened last Thursday evening. We have clear CCTV footage of what happened and we have passed it over to the police.

"I wouldn't like to speculate as to the motive for the attack and would not like to jeopardize the police investigation. I work in the municipality's office opposite the statue so I know when it happened."

While on his state visit to Britain last week, Zuma came in for widespread criticism from sections of the UK media for his polygamous lifestyle and extra-marital sex.

He hit back by saying: "When the British came to our country, they said everything we are doing was barbaric, was wrong, inferior in whatever way. "Bear in mind that I'm a freedom fighter and I fought to free myself, also for my culture to be respected. And I don't know why they are continuing thinking that their culture is more superior than others, those who might have said so.

"The British have done that before, as they colonised us, and they continue to do this, and it's an unfortunate thing. If people want an engagement, I'm sure we will engage on that issue."

Jackie Barclay, the Honorary British Consul in Port Elizabeth, said: "I know some people are trying to link it to president Zuma's visit to Britain but they're putting two and two together and getting 25."